ness over Chad's having spelled them both
down before the whole school. As for Tall Tom, he took as much pride as
the school-master in the boy, and in town, at the grist-mill, the
cross-roads, or blacksmith shop, never failed to tell the story of the
dog and the boy, whenever there was a soul to listen. And as for
Melissa, while she ruled him like a queen and Chad paid sturdy and
uncomplaining homage, she would have scratched out the eyes of one of
her own brothers had he dared to lay a finger on the boy. For Chad had
God's own gift--to win love from all but enemies and nothing but
respect and fear from them. Every morning, soon after daybreak, he
stalked ahead of the little girl to school, with Dolph and Rube
lounging along behind, and, an hour before sunset, stalked back in the
same way home again. When not at school, the two fished and played
together--inseparable.

Corn was ripe now, and school closed and Chad went with the men into
the fields and did his part, stripping the gray blades from the yellow
stalks, binding them into sheaves, stowing them away under the low roof
of the big barn, or stacking them tent-like in the fields--leaving each
ear perched like a big roosting bird on each lone stalk. And when the
autumn came, there were husking parties and dances and much merriment;
and, night after night, Chad saw Sintha and the school-master in front
of the fire--"settin' up"--close together with their arms about each
other's necks and whispering. And there were quilting parties and
housewarmings and house-raisings--one that was of great importance to
Caleb Hazel and to Chad. For, one morning, Sintha disappeared and came
back with the tall young hunter in the deerskin leggings--blushing
furiously--a bride. At once old Joel gave them some cleared land at the
head of a creek; the neighbors came in to build them a cabin, and among
them all, none worked harder than the school-master; and no one but
Chad guessed how sorely hit he was.

Meanwhile, the woods high and low were ringing with the mellow echoes
of axes, and the thundering crash of big trees along the mountain-side;
for already the hillsmen were felling trees while the sap was in the
roots, so that they could lie all winter, dry better and float better
in the spring, when the rafts were taken down the river to the little
capital in the Bluegrass. And Caleb Hazel said that he would go down on
a raft in the spring and perhaps Chad could go with him who knew? For